Alva's Warm and Inviting Swedish Country Home and Farm Shop

Alva Herdevall is a Swedish author (Heirloom Skills: a complete guide to modern homesteading - which has been hugely popular in Swedish, is now available to pre-order in English) as well as a self-confessed plant lover, homesteader & permaculture designer". Once a city girl (Alva also lived in Malmö for many years), the writer moved to Krusenbergs farm in Uppsala where she and her partner Anders Rydell have created a country life with their small children and four legged friend. 

Days are spent 'odling' (toiling the soil and growing flowers, fruit and vegetables) - the results of which include a beautiful array of sunflowers, sweet peas, peonies, dahlia and other blooms as well as great gluts homegrown tomatoes, courgettes, beans and squash. Whatever the family have left over is preserved for the winter or sold through their honesty store and 'pick your own' farm. Fresh eggs and honey are also available to buy. 

Inside, evidence of the recent harvest can be seen overflowing in the kitchen and as a centre piece on the dining table and brightening up windowsills throughout the home. Here's a peek into Alva's beautiful world in the Swedish countryside. 

In September the forests and fields are ripe with edible delicacies. Swedes love to pickle and preserve whatever they have leftover and savour pickled cucumber, beetroot and other preserves on sandwiches or as a side dish throughout winter. Alva has a larder full of homemade jars - many of which she lists in her book. 

Do you preserve fruit and vegetables too? If so, I'd love to hear about some of your favourites!

Alva's home is a wonderful, warm, eclectic mix of vintage and antique finds, books, plants, pattern and prints. 

Yellow kitchen cabinets and a kilim rug in reds and blues bring warmth and cosiness to the kitchen. 

Anders built the outdoor kitchen and table, now laden with homegrown produce. Flowers and other produce are also sold through their farm shop (below). 

What a lovely life!

See more pictures from Alva's home and garden over at @krusenbergsodlarna and find out more about their store, wedding floristry and workshops here. 

Does it make anyone else want to move to the countryside? There's nothing quite like a little dreaming on a Monday!

Take a tour of other Scandinavian country homes in the country home archive. 

Stor kram! 

Niki

Credits: 

1, 6, 7, 8, 11, 14, 15 @krusenbergsodlarna

4, 5 by Roland Persson for book Modern Självhushållning published by Natur & Kultur Fakta.

2, 3, 9, 10, 12, 13 Idha Lindhag 

Shared with kind permission. 

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Historical Charm and Modern Scandi Minimalism Combine in a Danish Farmhouse

Do you have an image in your minds eye of the perfect house? I have to say, the facade of this Danish cottage comes very close to mine. Thatched roof, whitewashed stone walls and a chimney gently bellowing smoke on a cold winters day - what's not to love? The bad news: It's not for sale. The good news: it's available to rent. Yep, this charming Danish farmhouse in Søllested, southwest of Copenhagen is a new addition to the VIPP portfolio which also includes the VIPP Hotel. Nestled on the incredible Søllestedgaard estate, the former gardener's residence has been beautifully renovated in keeping with the  the time it was built in the late 18th century. Inside, the newly refurbished interior designed by Julie Cloos Mølsgaard combines historical charm with modern Scandinavian minimalism. Featuring three bedrooms and a home office, guests are invited to relax and unwind - or explore the surroundings and make use of the fishing gear to catch dinner in the nearby lake. 

What a perfect place to getaway from it all - and 'work from home' if required!

I'm dreaming about the facade and THAT thatched roof. Beautiful. 

Could you imagine staying here? More details / make a booking here. 

If you're visiting Denmark, I can also highly recommend the design hotel Villa Copenhagen - Per and I had the most wonderful stay there. 

Ha det fint! 

Niki

Photography: Anders Schønnemann courtesy of VIPP Farmhouse.

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Before and After: Old Stables Become a Beautiful Country Home

Come on, own up! Who frequently fantasises about buying a run-down property / wreck and doing it up? I totally confess to dreaming about this on a monthly basis. Especially when I see some of the incredible transformations out there. And today, I think you're going to feel hugely inspired by the home of Anna-Lena in Lower Saxony, Germany. I think we can all agree that there is such an incredible amount of work that goes on behind-the-scenes of any property renovation. Which is why 'before', 'during' and 'after' pictures are a great reality check, but also inspire. It's quite incredible what vision, hard work and of course, a solid budget can do! Ready to feel inspired? Here are some pictures of Anna-Lena's home - which has slowly been transformed from dilapidated stables into a beautiful, rustic, modern country home! 

Exterior before 

A lot of the exterior was covered in plaster when they first purchased the property. This was carefully removed to reveal the original brickwork.  The entrance has also been modernised and new windows have been installed. 

Main living room - before

Wow! In the above picture you can really get a sense of how the stables looked before the renovation. It was a completely open shell and the stalls are clearly visible. 

The main living space was transformed into a well-insulated living space with a reinforced ceiling to allow for a second floor. 

Main living space - after

The wonderful Clou-Xtra wood-burning stove creates a focal point, while the concrete floor and beautiful wood ceiling add character to the space. 

The darker, clean and contemporary kitchen creates contrast and a sense of drama to the room, while the wood farmhouse table adds warmth and a rustic touch - pertaining to the past. 

Stairs were installed in the back corner of the stables for access to the second floor. 

Master Bedroom with En suite - During! 

Insulation work was carried out on the roof and two VELUX skylights were added to slip in light over the bath. The entire floor was re-constructed and a new wood floor laid. 

Master Bedroom and En suite - After

The beams were preserved to add character to the space and a new wood floor adds a light, modern touch to the space. Natural textures seen in the plant pot and bedding (you can find similar off-white bedlinen here*) help to add depth and warmth to the overall look. The storage is a mix of modern (IVAR from IKEA) and a large vintage wardrobe. 

Bathroom - Before

The room that the second bathroom occupies was non-existent and needed to be created from scratch, which shows the extent of the work put into transforming the building into a liveable space! 

Bathroom - after

The bathroom design is relatively simple yet texture from the wood, the subtle plaster finish behind the washbasin and the beautiful vintage unit help to add interest and warmth to the space.

Hallway / Entrance  - After

A barn door offers a wonderful nod to the history of the building, while the simple, rustic aesthetic is keeping with the rest of the property.

From what I understand from Anna-Lena's instagram, there's a lot more renovation work to be done. And I for one, will be following their journey! 

If you're keen to see what they do next, keep an eye out for updates here: @house.no1. 

Looking for more 'before and after' / renovation inspiration today? Check out these incredible transformations: 

A century old Danish thatched cottage is given a revamp

Two dated apartments are transformed into one beautiful home

A run-down Swedish property becomes a beautiful farmhouse

Could you imagine taking on a project like this? Even if you're not quite ready to take the plunge (or perhaps it's simply to your thing, which is entirely understandable!), I hope seeing these before and after pictures have left you feeling inspired all the same! 

Vi ses imorgon! 

Niki

Photography: Anna-Lena / @houseno.1 shared with kind permission

*This post contains affiliate links

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